It's been a long time since a new Jerry Herman show opened on Broadway (La Cage aux Folles in 1983) and even longer since the glory days when his long-running hits, Hello, Dolly! and Mame, welcomed a third concurrent Herman musical, Dear World, to the Great White Way in 1969.

Nevertheless, Herman's tremendous impact is felt to this day. La Cage aux Folles has been revived on Broadway twice in the last 10 years and talk of who to cast as Dolly and Mame can still excite (and incite) the most jaded of theatre queens. Manhattan nightclub 54 Below premieres "It's Today… 54 Sings Mame" Dec. 8 and even the 2008 animated blockbuster "WALL-E" centrally featured two songs from Hello, Dolly!. Herman has long been lauded for writing classic showtunes with hummable melodies, catchy lyrics and simple ideas that connect deeply with real feeling. This list can only skim some highlights.

Click through to read my choices for the top 10 songs by Jerry Herman.